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NPR News Now

NPR News: 12-12-2025 2PM EST

12 Dec 2025

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What recent changes have occurred in U.S. military leadership?

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Support for NPR comes from NPR member stations and Eric and Wendy Schmidt through the Schmidt Family Foundation, working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. On the web at theschmidt.org.

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16.087 - 38.316 Louise Schiavone

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. U.S. Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, who's been in charge of U.S. military forces in Latin America for a year, today relinquished his duties two years early. Holsey, who was responsible for U.S. military activity in Central and South America and the Caribbean, had previously raised concerns about boat strikes in the Caribbean.

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38.776 - 42.863 Louise Schiavone

While at his post, he stressed the importance of regional military cooperations.

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That work must continue across the whole of government to deliver at the point of need to respond to shared threats in our neighborhood.

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Chapter 2: How are legal concerns affecting U.S. military operations in the Caribbean?

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The time is now.

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51.955 - 74.148 Louise Schiavone

Holsey's post ordinarily lasts three or four years. No explanation for the change has been offered, and a replacement for Holsey has not been announced. Some members of the U.S. military are seeking advice from outside groups, fearing they could face legal consequences for any involvement in the Trump administration's deadly strikes on suspected drug boats. Over the past three months, the U.S.

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74.168 - 83.441 Louise Schiavone

has blown up more than 20 such vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, killing over 80 people. NPR's Ryan Lucas has details.

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83.641 - 91.61 Frank Rosenblatt

The Trump administration says the strikes are legal and aim to stop the flow of illicit drugs. But experts, including former military lawyers, disagree.

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Chapter 3: What is the current status of Israeli settlements in the West Bank?

92.17 - 109.57 Frank Rosenblatt

The vast gulf over the lawfulness of the operations is putting American service members in a tough spot, prompting some to seek outside legal guidance. We're receiving a lot more calls in the last three months than we did before. That's Frank Rosenblatt with The Orders Project, a nonpartisan group that provides legal support for members of the U.S. military.

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110.123 - 125.415 Frank Rosenblatt

His organization and others NPR spoke with say they've received calls from service members, including staff officers and at least one drone pilot, with concerns about potential legal blowback for themselves for taking part in the campaign. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.

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126.307 - 137.708 Louise Schiavone

The Israeli government has approved a number of new settlements in the occupied West Bank, stoking fears of annexation of the territory. NPR's Hadil Al-Shalshi has the latest.

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137.869 - 156.681 Hadil Al-Shalchi

The Israeli government has approved plans for 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying the proposals would strengthen settlement life in the territory. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is in charge of settlement policy and said more than 760 new homes on existing settlements were also approved.

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Chapter 4: What impact do new Israeli settlements have on Palestinian communities?

157.382 - 181.094 Hadil Al-Shalchi

Smotrich, a far-right nationalist and settler himself, has said Jews have a God-given right to the land. Israel first occupied the West Bank during the 1967 Mideast War. and has since permitted more than 500,000 settlers there. The settlements are considered illegal under international law. The UN has recorded more than 1,700 settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank so far this year.

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181.535 - 184.158 Hadil Al-Shalchi

Hadil Al-Shalchi, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

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184.838 - 206.334 Louise Schiavone

On Wall Street at this hour, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down, the Nasdaq off 374. This is NPR News in Washington. Lindsey Vonn has scored her 44th win in World Cup downhill skiing with her first win since March of 2018. The 41-year-old Vonn took the World Cup prize at St.

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Chapter 5: What achievements has Lindsey Vonn recently made in skiing?

206.354 - 225.079 Louise Schiavone

Moritz in Switzerland. The story of Rockalina, the neglected eastern box turtle, has a new character. Rockalina was rescued earlier this year from a New York home where she'd spent the last half century living on a kitchen floor, mostly eating cat food. And PR's Alina Hartunian has more on her recovery.

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Oh my God. She's literally nose to nose.

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229.097 - 241.035 Chris Leone

Chris Leone of Garden State Tortoise in New Jersey said Rockalina's meeting with the hatchling was a milestone. It was the first time she's interacted with her own kind so closely since she was taken from the wild in the 1970s.

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She's like sniffing its little butt.

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242.998 - 245.822 Chris Leone

Over the weekend, he posted a video on YouTube of the encounter.

Chapter 6: What is the story behind Rockalina the turtle's recovery?

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A lot of people think that turtles and tortoises are solitary by nature, but they absolutely are. occur in colonies and groups in nature.

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252.993 - 270.338 Chris Leone

When Leone first saw Rockalina back in February, she was wan and looked near death. Now she's thriving. The hatchling and Rockalina will continue to have supervised meetings as Leone works toward the ultimate goal, creating a little turtle colony for Rockalina. Alina Hartunian, NPR News.

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270.436 - 294.216 Louise Schiavone

British writer Joanna Trollope has died at 82. She passed away peacefully at her Oxfordshire home, her family says. Trollope was known for her best-selling novels about romantic escapades in rural England. Titles included The Rector's Wife and Marrying the Mistress. Six years ago, Queen Elizabeth made her a commander of the Order of the British Empire. I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.

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